Alex Lifeson Admits Rush Are ‘Basically Done’

Rush pulled off the road a couple years ago, but fans had hopes for some kind of smaller-scale project from them in the future. But guitarist Alex Lifeson has pretty much confirmed that the band is over.

In a new interview with the Globe and Mail, Lifeson made it clear that the chances of anyone ever hearing new Rush music are slim to none. "It's been a little over two years since Rush last toured," he said. "We have no plans to tour or record any more. We're basically done. After 41 years, we felt it was enough."

Shortly after the band ended a 40th-anniversary tour in 2015, rumors began to surface about Lifeson and bassist Geddy Lee forming a duo after drummer Neil Peart announced his retirement.

Even though Rush played their last show a couple years ago, Lifeson said his musical life is busier than ever. But now they don't come with the many obligations that hounded his old band. "I'm writing a lot -- I'm writing on four or five different little projects," he said. "I get these requests to do guitar work with other people. It's really a lot of fun for me. It's low pressure: I get to be as creative as I want to be and I can work a little outside of the box, which is really attractive to me."

Lifeson's guest spots with other artists include guitar work on Fu Manchu's upcoming album,Clone of the Universe, which is slated for release next month. He's featured on an 18-minute track called "Il Mostro Atomico."

“We are excited to get out and play this stuff, especially 'Il Mostro Atomico,'" Fu Manchu guitarist and singer Scott Hill said. "We think it’s some the strongest music we’ve ever done. We really love the overall sound of the album, and having Alex play on it is just incredible. It gives it that special validation for the idea that we had to try something like a side long song.”

Lifeson has also been exploring other creative outlets, like dabbling in the life of a newspaper columnist. He's been writing for the West End Phoenix, a new monthly paper based in his hometown of Toronto. He said the gig intimidated him at first. His editor told him "to write 150 words," he said. "I think I submitted 1,200 words. Apparently, I don't have a problem with content."

Likewise, he was asked to take on a small part in a TV show, Crawford, which he said wasn't in his comfort zone either but, "if you throw a challenge at yourself and dive into it," he noted, "it can be really gratifying."